The Best Tea Parties
by lynne-monstr
Summary: Hungary and Liechtenstein team up and hatch a plot to get Austria and Switzerland together. (mentions of Switzerland, Austria, & Prussia). Genfic.


"It's not the end of the world," Liechtenstein said; Hungary had to disagree.

"He offered to take me shopping!" The thought alone was enough to make even a proud warrior like herself shiver, despite the warm spring air blowing through the garden where they sat. "Shopping!" she repeated, half scandalized and half horrified.

Liechtenstein said nothing, save for the girlish smile she couldn't quite hide. Then she giggled, a light tinkling sound that Hungary would normally find grating on anyone else, but was so appropriate given the source that Hungary couldn't help smile as well.

With a sigh she curled fingers around the teacup set on the dainty white iron table before her - a match to the dainty white padded chair she was sitting on - and brought the beverage to her lips. The sting of whiskey was a pleasant burn against her tongue and as she swallowed it gave way to a soothing warmth that went all the way through her.

The unorthodox barware was a routine as old as their get-togethers and Hungary had long since stopped finding it odd, having become accustomed to its quirky charm.

"The last time he offered to take me shopping was when Maria Theresa had the crown. I hated it! He hated it! We were tempted to call Prussia back for another war just for something else to think about."

"Are you sure you two weren't calling Prussia back for other reasons?" Liechtenstein asked, sugar-sweet voice at odds with the raised eyebrow arched almost into her hairline.

Hungary let out a very unladylike snort. "He wishes!"

"Which 'he'?" Pale pink lips crept upwards and Liechtenstein's eyes danced in amusement.

They both dissolved into laughter.

"I think he's lonely." Liechtenstein said softly, serious again. "Austria, I mean." She cast her eyes downwards and took a sip from her own teacup, a sweet sherry Hungary had tried and failed to acquire a taste for despite multiple efforts.

Hungary sighed again, sweeping a glance along the table and the garden beyond, as if the answer would appear if only she looked hard enough. But as far as she could tell, there was nothing hiding in the pair of faded sea-foam green teapots (each holding an alcoholic beverage of choice), nor in the matching gold-rimmed cups and saucers. Nothing in the rush of rustling leaves or the bright perfection of well manicured grounds or the flowers that dotted the well worn paths with their bright splashes of color. No answers at all.

"That's not my problem anymore," she said, a sense of finality permeating the words. It felt like ash on her tongue and the fingers of her right hand clenched, looking for a weapon that was no longer there. "We're friends and that's all I can give him."

At that Liechtenstein smiled, a wide, bright thing that made her look more like a little girl than the centuries old woman she really was.

It wasn't the reaction Hungary had expected and her eyes narrowed. "What?" she asked.

"Mine's lonely too."

At Hungary's questioning look, Liechtenstein continued. "My brother. He'd never say it, of course. It would be _unsightly_." At that, she scrunched up her face and put on a severe frown that dragged the corners of her mouth down considerably. It was a surprisingly good impersonation of Switzerland when he was displeased. Which was most of the time, it seemed, though Hungary had to wonder how much of that was actually true and how much was affectation on his part.

"It's been too long since I've seen Austria." The words jolted Hungary from her thoughts and she fixed her eyes across the table. "Why don't you both come for dinner this weekend. I'm supposed to meet Switzerland, but I'm sure he won't mind the extra company. We could even watch a movie afterwards!"

Hungary was a lot of things, but dumb wasn't one of them. And she also knew well enough what a tight fit it would be with the four of them on Switzerland's old, small couch.

She straightened in her chair, face lighting up in a bright smile. Liechtenstein really did throw the best tea parties. "You're wicked and I like it!"

Once more Hungary picked up her dainty teacup, but instead of drinking she extended it out to hover over the center of the table. A slim arm copied the gesture and the resulting clink of their glasses joined the chirping of birds and insects.

* * *

_A/N: Complete for now. I may or may not continue it as time and inspiration permits._


End file.
